7/15/2018 KISS Odyssey: Contents The definitive examination of "Music From The Elder," KISS' cult-classic concept album By Tim McPhate & Julian Gill Press Releases - Newswire OPEN Reach 4500+ Premium News Sites Robert V. Conte Takes Fans inside "The Elder" Vault KISS' first catalog consultant discusses the work done with "The Elder" as part of the KISS: The Remasters project KissFAQ: Robert, we're going to talk about a focused part of your KISStory, so I don't want to rehash too much of the great information you provided on the "Three Sides of the Coin" podcast during episode #207. I do want to strongly recommend that folks check that episode out -- it was certainly very engaging and entertaining. For the sake of introducing our past relationship, I believe we first crossed paths way back in 1997. I'd sent a fax to Mercury/Polygram in New York, while I was still living in Scotland. And you called me, since I'd used my father's fax machine, which had a "Dr." header, making it seem I was more important than I certainly was ... Robert V. Conte: Yes, I tried to directly respond to KISS fans who attempted to reach me after the "KISS: The Remasters" project. I appreciate your remembering that! What do you recall of that fax I sent? I think I criticized your liner notes, didn't I? http://www.kissodyssey.com/robertvconte.php 1/15 7/15/2018 KISS Odyssey: Contents You certainly did, yes! You know, it's funny because when "KISS: The Remasters" were first released, the internet was still in its infancy. A lot of KISS fans chose to handwrite letters, as opposed to using email, so there was a time when a lot of mail was coming in and we received a mixed reaction. A lot of people commented, "Oh, my God -- this is great!" There were others who thought they were "okay," but wanted more. And then, of course, there were those who said, "I don't really like this writing. I don't like these liner notes." You were initially in the latter group. I remember that! (Laughs) I think I even sent you a copy of the atrocious U.K. "Double Platinum" remaster that was housed in a regular jewel case with gray print cover insert with black ink line art; rather than the beautiful, foil-embossed reproduction that made for the U.S. market... I always like to give people a 90,000-foot view of the person who I'm speaking with, in terms of their relationship with KISS. So, what was your "Ed Sullivan" moment within the KISS construct; that moment that initially sparked your interest in the band? It's funny; I'd have to say that it was three different instances combined into one -- if that makes any sense. When I was around 7 or 8-years-old, I had seen the Marvel Super Special #5, the second KISS comic with the green- and-white logo cover. Around that same time -- I think it was sometime near the first anniversary of Elvis' passing -- Donruss had issued a series of Elvis trading cards. I was a big non-sport trading card collector at the time, so I'd go to the local smoke shop which also had a ton of trading cards. They had Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Superman the Movie, and then I saw the Elvis cards. Next to Elvis were KISS cards. I said, "Wait a minute!" So, that in conjunction with the Marvel Comic plus I remember seeing the TV ads on NBC for the "KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park" special. And then there were kids in my class -- I think I was in third grade at the time -- who brought some KISS albums to school. So that was probably when I was really first exposed to KISS -- via the merchandising. But what got me into the music was around 1982. My now-deceased friend, Brian Aarons, had invited me over to his house for an overnight stay and he had a ton of heavy metal music. I was not as knowledgeable as Brian was at the time about this particular genre and he had some really obscure stuff. There was early Metallica, Saxon, Anvil, Twisted Sister -- just a really eclectic collection. As I'm flipping through his enormous vinyl collection, I saw "KISS Alive!" We put it on and, honestly, from the second I heard that first explosion on "Deuce," I was hooked! But what really got me into KISS was the night KISS unmasked on MTV [in September 1983]. Some may not be aware of this, but, before that special aired, David Lee Roth was featured on an exclusive half-hour long interview with MTV; so anyone that was a Van Halen fan ran home to watch it. It was also the very first time that MTV aired the "Pretty Woman" video; even though it was old it was the first time it had ever aired on MTV. And then afterwards was the KISS unmasking on MTV. The "Rock and Roll All Nite" live compilation that they aired beforehand, with primarily the Tokyo 1977 footage, just blew me away. I was fortunate enough that I videotaped it on my General Electric VHS recorder! I ran downstairs where I kept all my stuff in my house and dug up the Donruss trading cards, the KISS custom Chevy van model kit a kid had given me for Christmas, the KISS View- Master 3D reels, etc... All of a sudden, I was now a rabid KISS fan! What was your first "new" KISS album? I became a very devout listener immediately and my grandmother, who lived with us, would bring me home a new KISS album every week -- as long as I did well in school. So the very first KISS studio album that I owned for myself was "Dynasty." And then almost every week afterward I would get a new one. What was the first album that you bought new? So you're already into the band, what was the first album that comes out for you? Was it "Animalize," I guess? Or "Lick it Up" at that point? It was actually "Lick It Up." I actually did not like the song "Lick It Up," but when MTV aired the "All Hell's Breakin' Loose" video I said, "Wow, this is great!" I went out and bought "Lick It Up." Then when "Animalize" came out I purchased that, and then subsequently every KISS album that came out, I bought on the first day of release. So looking back at 35-plus years as a fan, what's your favorite KISS album at this point? If you have to pick just one album that you'd take with you to a desert island, which would it be? I'm always torn with that because it's either the first KISS album or "Hotter than Hell." I love them both so much, so it's always hard for me to pick one. If I really had to pick one I'd probably say the first album because there's just so much great material on that album. During the Alive/Worldwide reunion tour they played at least six songs off that record. Other KISS fans have said this too; it's like a greatest-hits album on its own in a sense. And that first album cover, it just blew me away! As I told you, my grandmother would get me a KISS album every week so the first one she got me was "Dynasty," the second one was "Hotter than Hell," which I thought had just a beautiful cover. But then the third LP she got me was the first KISS album. At the time I used to call it http://www.kissodyssey.com/robertvconte.php 2/15 7/15/2018 KISS Odyssey: Contents the horrific KISS album photo because they didn't look like superheroes yet. They looked like "pure evil." But that was just such a fantastic cover. I know a lot of people don't like it but I love it! And "Black Diamond" on the album was just so cool. I just thought the fade out of the record was so brilliant at the time. Before we get into the topic that we're actually going to discuss, I'm going to make you play favorites and choose your flavor of KISS Kool-Aid. Who is your KISS guy, the guy who kind of best sums up KISS for you? I would have to say Gene Simmons because I got to know him personally more than any of the others. He was the one that picked me to be the first KISS Catalog Consultant. So I'll go with Gene simply because of our personal relationship at the time. It's kind of hard to fault a guy who opened that door for you! Yes, basically I was being let into the KISS kingdom at the perfect time. I started working with them sporadically at the close of the "Alive III" era and then when the reunion tour happened. Just to be part of that experience in an official capacity and I was only 25-years-old at the time! It was just such a wonderful opportunity and such an amazing gift from somebody I had idolized since I was 13-years-old. I know from some of the stories that you told in that excellent "Three Sides of the Coin" episode that I can totally understand why you're drinking "Demon" flavored Kool-Aid.